A personal account of Buzzcocks from their early gigs to their lasting influence

Steve Diggle’s Autonomy: Portrait of a Buzzcock landed via Omnibus Press on August 22, 2024, giving a no-frills, straight-from-the-source look at the history of Buzzcocks. As the last original member still standing, Diggle lays out the band’s story in his own words—how they came up in the UK punk scene, hit the charts, split, reformed, and kept going against the odds. The book also digs into his friendship and sometimes complicated creative relationship with Pete Shelley, who died in 2018.

Title: Autonomy
Artist: Buzzcocks
Release Date: 2024-08-22
Genres: Post-punk, Punk Rock
Label: Omnibus Press
Description: Steve Diggle’s Autonomy recounts Buzzcocks’ history, from their early days to their continued influence, with personal reflections on Pete Shelley and punk’s impact.

Diggle goes deep into Buzzcocks’ early years, from opening for the Sex Pistols in 1976 to putting out the Spiral Scratch EP and churning out classics like Ever Fallen in Love, Everybody’s Happy Nowadays, Promises, and Harmony in My Head. The last two were either co-written or fully written and sung by Diggle, marking his influence on the band’s sound. He doesn’t shy away from the chaos of success—chart hits, excess, the inevitable breakup, the comeback, and carrying on after Shelley’s passing.

Autonomy covers more than just the band’s history. Diggle also paints a picture of his life growing up in Manchester in the 1960s, from his time as a scooter mod to surviving a car crash that killed his best friend. It’s a raw look at the events that shaped him long before punk came into the picture. Reflecting on his roots, he writes, “Before I’m Steve Diggle from Buzzcocks, I’m Steve Diggle from Manchester. I grew up in its streets, each like a sculptor’s chisel carving me into the person I am, the streets that taught me to see the poetry of life.”

Since 2019, Diggle has led Buzzcocks as the sole vocalist and songwriter. The band put out their tenth album, Sonics in the Soul, in 2022 and were added to the Camden Walk of Fame in 2023. They’re still touring, with dates lined up across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the UK, and he’s already at work on new music.

Born in Manchester, England, Steve Diggle got into the punk scene in the mid-’70s and joined Buzzcocks in 1976 after responding to an ad placed by Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley. Originally on bass, he switched to guitar when Garth Smith entered the lineup. When Devoto left in 1977, Diggle took on a bigger role in shaping the band’s direction alongside Shelley.

Buzzcocks put out a run of landmark singles and albums before splitting in 1981. Diggle didn’t stop—he formed Flag of Convenience, went solo, and eventually helped bring Buzzcocks back in 1989. They continued making new music and touring until Shelley’s death in 2018, after which Diggle stepped up as frontman.

Beyond Buzzcocks, Diggle has put out solo records and written about his experiences in punk. For more insight, check out our interview with Steve Diggle, where he discusses the book, his time in Buzzcocks, and what’s next for the band.

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